Sultan urges labour to halt strike, resume negotiations

The Sultan of Sokoto and President General of the Nigeria Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs, Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar, has called on organized labor in Nigeria to cease its strike action.

The strike, which began on Monday nationwide, should be halted, he emphasized, urging continued negotiations with the government for the nation’s benefit.

In a statement released Monday by his media team, the monarch highlighted the detrimental impact of the strike on Nigerians’ well-being, asking labor leaders to reconsider the industrial action for the sake of those they seek to protect.

He stressed that organized labor should persist in negotiating with the government and avoid causing further hardship for the nation.

“The labor leaders should think about the adverse effects of their planned strike on the well-being of the very Nigerians they aim to protect, and thus call off the industrial action.

“We appeal to labor not to subject the nation to another wave of hardship, which will certainly occur if the strike proceeds.

“They should listen to the government, and the government should listen to them, reaching a conclusion beneficial to all Nigerians, including the working class,” the Sultan urged.

Acknowledging that labor leaders are advocating for better welfare for workers, the Muslim leader reflected on his past involvement in such negotiations. He encouraged labor leaders to pursue their goals with compassion, considering strikes only as a last resort.

“You are rightly fighting for your fellow workers, but you should do so with compassion and see strikes always as a last option,” the statement concluded.